5 killed in Iraqi Turkmen town gunmen attackJuly 14, 2012 - 16:18 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Gunmen killed five soldiers and policemen on Saturday, July 14 when they attacked a checkpoint in a Turkmen town in northern Iraq, an army captain said, according to AFP. The victims were manning the checkpoint in the town of Rashidiyah, northeast of the main northern city of Mosul, when the gunmen opened fire. Five members of the security forces were killed and two others were wounded, the source said, without giving a breakdown. Iraq's Turkish-speaking Turkmen community includes about 500,000 people living mostly in Mosul, Kirkuk and Tal Afar. They have been the target of a number of deadly attacks, blamed by local authorities on Al-Qaeda. The latest violence comes amid a spike in attacks, with Iraq suffering a wave of unrest in June. At least 282 people were killed, according to an AFP tally, though government figures said 131 Iraqis died. While violence in Iraq has declined dramatically since its peak in 2006-2007, attacks remain common across the country. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | U.S. welcomes Armenia, Azerbaijan’s border delimitation announcement Blinken said it is an important step towards concluding a durable and dignified peace agreement. Up to 10% cashback from GetTransfer with IDBank cards IDBank clients who make their booking on GetTransfer will receive an exclusive cashback. Cyprus parliament honors Armenian genocide victims Acting House President Zacharias Koulias noted that April 24 marks the “black anniversary” of the Armenian genocide. Armenia PM, France envoy discuss regional matters Issues related to the consistent development of Armenia-France cooperation were discussed. |